Lipscomb County Grew from Open-Range Cattle Ranches

The Texas Legislature created Lipscomb County in 1876 from the old Bexar District. The county was named for Abner S. Lipscomb, an early Texas legal figure. The first settlers arrived in the late 1870s. Large ranches shaped the early economy. The CC Ranch was based in Roberts and Ochiltree Counties but stretched into the western part of Lipscomb County. The town of Lipscomb became the county seat in 1887. Later, Higgins became a rival after the railroad missed the original townsite.

Wheat farming came around 1910. Nearly 30,600 acres were already planted that year. Wheat was the top crop well before 1930. Oil production started in 1956. That added a new layer to the local economy. Today the county still runs on beef cattle, wheat, sorghum, and corn. The county covers about 934 square miles. It borders Oklahoma to the north and east. Wolf Creek is a well-known local waterway. For more history, the Handbook of Texas at TSHA is the place to look.